


Tell Me Your Troubles

by radkoko



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Jealousy, M/M, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-19 01:38:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11303076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/radkoko/pseuds/radkoko
Summary: Kakashi loves watching Iruka when he teaches, but when he thinks his place is being overwritten he doesn't know how to handle it.





	Tell Me Your Troubles

**Author's Note:**

  * For [melissen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/melissen/gifts).



> A very very late prize for Melissen from a contest on DA... Also sorry I seem to have run away with the jealousy inspiration and ignored the cute/silly part.

Kakashi liked to watch Iruka teach.

Sure it was sometimes boring or even dangerous if he was too close during weapons practice, but there was something about seeing Iruka in his natural environment that was soothing to watch. Iruka was a strong presence that was good for the children of Konoha to grow up with. The benevolent man struck the right balance between being the mother hen and a strict teacher, crossing the lines once in a while for the right student.

Naruto was one of those students, they had become like brothers in their time together and it made Iruka feel a little like family to Kakashi. Family that the two had barely gotten to have. It was a slow growing feeling, but Kakashi couldn’t really imagine going back to the time without it.

As the sun started to lower in the sky, Kakashi watched the waves of children leave the academy. It was a signal to him that he could soon find Iruka alone in his classroom. He finished up the last page in his chapter and hopped out of the trees, making his way towards the wall of windows in Iruka’s room. The windows were his preferred method of entry into the room knowing that it was less distracting to the students and their families as they left, wondering why the infamous jounin would be spending time at the academy.

It wasn’t until he was almost to the window, one he knew would be unlocked for him, that Kakashi noticed that a second person was in the room. He’d just assumed that Iruka would be alone at this time. Another person being in the room wasn’t really the part that surprised Kakashi, it was that this person wasn’t a student, and it wasn’t someone that Kakashi recognized.

The other man was leaning over Iruka’s desk, in his personal space looking at something that Iruka was writing down.They were both grinning from ear to ear over whatever was in front of Iruka. Kakashi felt like there was a hit to his heart, something that made it feel like lead. It was usually an achievement to him when he was able to get that type of reaction from Iruka, yet here he stood watching someone else bring that smile to Iruka’s face without any effort.

Kakashi turned on his heels and with a few signs with his hands disappeared from sight, not realizing that the brown haired teacher watched him leave.

* * *

 

“I’m home,” Iruka called from the entryway.

Kakashi wasn’t in much of a mood to respond, but after having lived alone for so long he couldn’t ignore such important words, “Welcome home,” he said giving a fake smile, hoping that the mask on his face hid enough from Iruka.

With bare feet and his shoulders lighter from the removal of his vest, Iruka padded over to where Kakashi was casually sitting and leaning against the arm of the couch. He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his temple.

“Where were you this afternoon? I swore I felt you watching me today, but you weren’t there when class ended.”

Kakashi bit his tongue to avoid snapping something rude back at Iruka about not even noticing him right outside his room, but Kakashi feigned innocence instead. “I got called away before the end of the day.”

“Nothing bad, I hope,” Iruka said, genuine concern in his eyes made Kakashi feel guilty for lying.

“Of course not, just Tsunade wanting someone to rant to about all the work she has to do as Hokage.”

Iruka’s laugh was light, but made Kakashi’s heart feel even heavier, “I’m guessing she’s missing Jiraiya as much as we miss Naruto.”

“Yeah…”

“Are you okay, Kakashi?” Iruka asked leaning over the couch to look him in the eyes.

Kakashi wanted to avoid Iruka’s eyes, but he knew that was as much a dead give away as facing Iruka. He gave a half hearted laugh. “Can’t hide anything from you, can I?” He paused watching Iruka’s step back and crossed arms as if he were waiting for the worst excuse in the world from one of his students.

“It’s nothing like that, Iruka, really. I just haven’t been feeling well. I know how you hate when I get you sick so I was trying to not scare you.”

Iruka sighed. “I’d rather take care of you than have you avoid me. Let me make some tea.” He let down his arms and walked away from Kakashi who pretended to go back to reading, but was starting to feel the guilt gnaw at him more and more.

* * *

 

Kakashi was wide awake that night. Why couldn’t he just tell Iruka what he saw, he was sure there was a simple explanation that he wasn’t thinking of, but now it had gotten out of hand and Iruka was trying to take care of him as if he really was sick.

There were plenty of other teachers at the academy, Kakashi couldn’t know them all. At least that's what he wanted to say, but he did know them all. When he’d started dating Iruka, he’d actually gone around and met them all, both for Iruka’s sake and so he could learn what they thought of Iruka.

What was he missing?

Iruka mumbled something in his sleep and turned over towards Kakashi where he wrapped his arms around the bare chest and snuggled into his side.

That was all Kakashi needed to realize he was just being a fool. He was letting this get out of hand. He needed to be bigger than his suspicions and step back from what was driving him nuts. Iruka loved him and this was the proof of it. He didn’t need to be concerned about any new person that appeared in Iruka’s life.

Kakashi pressed his lips to Iruka’s forehead and slipped an arm around him to pull him closer as if they could melt together.

* * *

 

Well Kakashi thought that had been the end of it, but when he came back to watch Iruka one day the man was there again. They were out in the academy’s training field, which gave Kakashi a better view of everything that was happening, as well as a chance to inspect the man that was at Iruka’s side.

He was plain, but if Kakashi had to admit it, handsome. It was going to be hard for Kakashi to continue calling him a man, when it became obvious that he was even younger than Iruka. That didn’t mean much when he stood half a foot taller than him, which wasn’t something that Kakashi couldn't say about himself since they were almost the same height.

The man seemed to be constantly leaning over to whisper in Iruka’s ear, who laughed at most everything. It wasn’t until there was a particularly different reaction from Iruka that Kakashi felt himself startle. Iruka was flushed red from something the man said, and the man was far too proud of what he’d said because he was attempting to hold in a laugh.

Kakashi hated watching their interactions, there was a thought inside him that said he was watching someone else with their lover instead of his own talking with a stranger.

* * *

 

This had been going on too long.

Kakashi couldn’t stand the way Iruka and this other teacher had been hanging around each other for the last month. It was starting to drive Kakashi mad and he was certain to snap.

“Kakashi,” Iruka called out when he came home that day. It wasn’t his normal call to announce he’d come home, but instead one that was trying to locate Kakashi.

He didn’t feel like playing along today. It had been a bad day all around and when he saw Iruka and the other man eating lunch together he’d decided he was done. How extreme ‘done’ was, he wasn’t sure yet, but being silent when Iruka called his name was definitely part of it.

“Kakashi, we have a guest,” Iruka tried again.

Kakashi snapped up from where he’d been lying on the bed. A guest? What did that mean?

Really, anyone that Kakashi knew Iruka would have just said their name, unless it was a surprise. Kakashi hesitated, but walked out of the bedroom, peeking around the corner to see Iruka smiling and talking with the man that had made is like hell for the last month.

“I can sense you, so hiding isn’t worth it,” Iruka said without turning to look at where Kakashi was poorly hidden.

He took in a deep breath and walked out to the entry way where they were waiting for him. Kakashi did the best impression of his usual self that he could, lazy posture and lone uncaring eye as he came face to face with the man who was younger and taller than him.

“Kakashi, meet Ameji Kurota. Ame, Kakashi Hatake,” Iruka introduced the two to each other.

“Wow, Iruka’s told me so much about you, Kakashi”

Kakashi blinked in surprise, letting his hand go slack as Ameji shook it. “Hmm, Iruka hasn’t told me anything about you.” Kakashi bit back, not sure if he was more angry for being talked about, or for not having been told anything.

“Kakashi!” Iruka sounded like he was scolding one of his students, but Kakashi didn’t care in that moment.

“What? You just expect me to be happy about meeting someone you spend every day with but haven’t told me about for the last month?” Kakashi felt everything was about to come spewing out at Iruka, so he shook his head and disappeared in an instant.

He materialized in front of the memorial stone. It wouldn’t take long for Iruka to find him, but Kakashi hoped he would be able to cool off before that happened.

Within 5 minutes he could feel Iruka’s presence racing towards him, emanating excessive amounts of chakra through his rage. Kakashi knew it wasn’t his own temper that was in question anymore.

“Kakashi Hatake, you better tell me what the fuck just happened,” Iruka yelled as he skidded to a stop behind Kakashi.

Before turning around Kakashi bowed to the stone as an apology to his family listed there for the scene that he was the cause of.

“I…” Kakashi’s words were caught in his mouth, trying to figure out what to say before he cursed, “Damnit. Iruka, who is that guy? You’ve been hanging around him so much, I feel like I'm losing you to someone else.”

“You’re an idiot,” Iruka replied without any frills or explanation.

They stood there in silence eyes trained on each other, barely blinking and never straying.

It was Iruka who finally broke the silence, “Kakashi, what was going through your head? Ame is a new student teacher at the academy that is shadowing me until next semester when he’s going to take on his own classroom.”

Kakashi blinked, “Student teacher?”

It wasn’t that he’d never heard the term before, but that the concept had never crossed his train of thought in the last month when he’d watched the two of them together. Of course it all made sense now, why they were always together at the academy, and why Kakashi hadn’t known who he was.

“Have you seriously been watching me teach for the last month with Ame and worked up a whole story in your head thinking I was cheating on you?” Kakashi’s silence seemed to be enough for Iruka to consider him guilty. “It’s nice to see how much faith you have in me…” Iruka looked devastated, but was holding back. He turned away from Kakashi and walked away.

Kakashi felt frozen unable to say or do anything, just watching as Iruka walk away, possibly out of his life. When Iruka disappeared from view the spell on Kakashi broke and he almost punched himself for being so stupid. Without a second thought he ran after Iruka.

It wasn’t hard to catch up to the man that was wandering aimlessly down the thankfully empty streets.

“Iruka, wait!” Kakashi yelled as he ran to the man, grabbing onto his shoulder and spinning him to look each other in the eyes again.

It hurt seeing the tears rolling down Iruka’s face, Kakashi knowing he’d been the one to cause the pained look. Iruka took his sleeve and started wiping away his tears, but it was useless as they continued to fall.

“I didn’t know what to do, what to think,” he tried to explain.

“What could ever make you think such a thing?” Iruka begged for an answer to what was happening.

“You smiled,” Kakashi remembered it all too vividly.

“I…I what? I smile at everyone, how could that mean anything?” Kakashi hadn't been able to process it in the last month, so it was understandable that Iruka couldn’t wrap his head around it either.

“It wasn’t that you smiled, but it was your special smile, the one you use for Naruto, or me… And he was always so close to you. You never let me in your space until… well until we started going out. He was whispering in your ear and making you blush…Iruka, tell me what I was supposed to think.”

“You were supposed to tell me,” Iruka yelled, “If you are concerned about something you have to tell me, that’s what being partners is about!”

Kakashi was silent for a moment before he breathed out his fear in a whisper, “I was scared.”

Iruka stopped, eyes wide with shock. “I’m sorry…” Iruka started, before continuing to lecture Kakashi, "but you have to tell me if something is bothering you or I can’t fix it. Ame was in my genin team for the year before I made chunin. I got put onto a new team when the rest of my teammates made chunin and I was still a genin. I haven’t seen him in years, so when he came to me asking to learn from me and become an academy teacher, it made me happy to be able to help out my teammate again.”

“And the whispering?” Kakashi knew he was digging the hole around him bigger, but he had to know about the image that was seared into his brain.

Iruka blushed and looked away from Kakashi, “If I recall correctly we were talking about you.”

“Me?” Kakashi questioned starting to get confused.

“Yes, dummy you,” Iruka’s tears turned back to frustration, “I…umm… He may have found out that I’m dating you and was teasing me for following up on my crush from when we were younger.”

“Crush?” Kakashi parroted again.

“Please don’t make me repeat it.”

The wind blew as silence took over their conversation once again.

“Can you forgive me?” Kakashi asked, offering the first half of their reconciliation.

Iruka pursed his lips in a tight frown, “I can… but.”

“But what?” Kakashi asked before Iruka could let the silence drag out the moment further.

“But never go through something like this alone again,” Iruka stated, “We are here to help each other through life, and we should be able to talk about anything.”

“I'm sorry.” Kakashi apologized for the mess he’d created. He didn’t like how it made him feel, and he hated what he’d just put Iruka through.

“Let’s go home…” Iruka suggested holding out a hand. Kakashi gave him a genuine smile for the first time in a while and took the hand before heading home together.

“….Now tell me about that crush…"


End file.
